This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Great Lent when we remember St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki.
You can read about this Sunday here and here.
Upcoming Schedule
Tuesday (26th) - 6:45am Hours and Jesus Prayer
Wednesday (27th) - 6:15pm Presanctified Liturgy
Saturday (30th)- 9:00 am Memorial Saturday Liturgy, 5pm Great Vespers, Confessions Following
Sunday (31st) - 9:10am Hours, 9:30am Divine Liturgy, 6:30 pm Teen Gathering
Tuesday (April 2nd) - 6:45am Hours and Jesus Prayer
Wednesday (3rd) - 6:15pm Presanctified Liturgy
Lenten Resources Email
Lenten Calendar for St Anne
Note from Father regarding Confessions during Lent
We are given 40 days of the Lenten Season before we enter Holy Week. Please make your confession during this season during these 40 days. I am available for confession by appointment as well as after Vespers on Saturdays. Please do not wait to make your confession until the last week of Lent - plan ahead and schedule something earlier in the Lenten season. I will not be hearing confessions after the Bridegroom Matins service on Holy Wednesday, unless there is a particular need (distance, illness, etc.). If you have any questions please let me know!
Teen Gathering - Sunday at 6:30 pm
Teens of St Anne’s will gathering at St. Anne’s at 6:30 pm to eat and then discuss prayer and the Lenten season. We have a pot of chili on the menu, let’s try to bring a few sides and drinks as well. Another pot of soup would also be welcome!
Women’s Book Group
Women’s Book Group invites you to join us in reading The Sunflower: Conforming the Will of Man to the Will of God during Great Lent. We will discuss it after Lent in May -- Sunday, May 27th.
In the following months we will spend reading and discussing 2 books about Father Arseney, 1892-1973. The first: Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father and the second: Father Arseny: A Cloud of Witnesses.
Food after Presanctified Liturgies
We traditionally break the fast after the Presanctified Liturgies on Wednesday night during Great Lent with a potluck of soup, bread, and sometimes salad. We will have a table for bread and almond butter and jelly to make sandwiches for those who don't eat the soup (mainly children).
Please sign up to bring food by clicking here OR on the paper copy at church by the front door.
Food and Fellowship
More help is needed for Clean Up and the tasks have been split up into 2 lists to help folks know what they can help with at different times. Especially consider this need if you are not bringing food regularly.
Please sign up here to help with Clean Up.
Almsgiving Opportunity
During Lent, if you would like to be connected with a local family to sponsor, please see Hannah Smith. Hannah is able to connect families directly in the area to support those in need of clothing, baby supplies, food, and self-care items. Often these are new immigrant families arriving with next to nothing, and unable to access government support as they are here on asylum. You may also be connected with American families, the “working poor,” who just need help making ends meet. Hannah can provide you with a wish list of items for the family and either their address to drop off, or you may give to Hannah for delivery. If you’d rather just drop off item generally, these families are often in need of sensitive lotions like Aquaphor, Eucerin, or CeraVe and there is a collection box available. Check with Hannah for further details (Hannah.Smith@cherokeehealth.com).
Volunteer Ministries Collection
In March and April (Lent) we will be collecting body wash for our neighbors at Volunteer Ministries. They have shower facilities available for unhoused citizens to take a long hot shower, so a supply of body wash would be a great help. Please put all donations in the grey bin near the water fountains.
Widowed Parent Relief Project Fundraiser: Family Friendzy 2024
Sunday, April 14, 1:30-4:00 at the Knoxville Cool Sports Icearium, the Widowed Parent Relief Project will hold its annual major fundraising event for 2024, the Family Friendzy. Jim Tilson is sponsoring a team, and needs teammates and fellow fund raisers to compete in backyard-style games (cornhole, sack race, football pass-and-catch, Nerf target practice, soccer shootout, etc.). Team members don’t have to participate in all events; we can divvy up the games by interest and skill.
Spectators are welcome, admission to spectate is free!
In addition to the competition, for $25 there will be ice skating available. There will also be bounce houses and inflatables, face painting, a photo booth, and character appearances. For more details, visit the event page at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/_ZJodw?vid=13qet1.
If you wish to sign up as a fund raiser, join our team, volunteer to help behind the scenes, or simply make a donation for “Team St. Xenia,” please go to https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/FamFriendzy/team/TeamStXenia
Please see Jim with any questions or call (865-384-9678) or email (jimtilson@me.com).
Orthodox Christians for Life: National Orthodox Baby Shower
The Pantanizopoulos Family is happy to announce the fourth annual Orthodox Christians for Life National Orthodox Baby Shower in March and April. We invite you all to participate in this national effort to support women in crisis pregnancies and help them choose life for their children, coinciding with the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation. As a Lenten outreach, we will be collecting donations and then giving them to Choices Resource Center, a crisis pregnancy center in Oak Ridge. Donations accepted include new baby equipment, diapers and wipes in original packages. No used clothing or supplies can be accepted. A labeled box in which donations can be placed will be provided in the hall.
(More info on this annual event here)
Volunteers for Speech and Debate Tournament
The Smith family participates as members of a speech and debate club dedicated to equipping students with the necessary skills to communicate truth with integrity and grace. The club is hosting a regional tournament in Oak Ridge at Central Baptist Church from May 2 to May 4. We need community volunteers to serve as judges and to give feedback to competitors. No previous experience is required; training is provided; and volunteers can choose the events they judge at a time convenient to their schedule. We need all the judges we can get, even if it’s only for a round or two. If interested, please email Todd Smith at tsmith@fcsva.com.
2024 Building Fundraising
We had an incredible end of 2023 push in giving to the building fund! We raised around $60k in donations in the last two weeks of the year and have ended 2023 with around $141,000 in dedicated giving to the building fund! Thank God!!!
If you would like to donate towards the building fund - please highlight this in your gift, i.e. make a note on your check, or designate the building fund on Realm, etc.
Righteous Anne Pray for us!
Departed: Patriarch Neofit, Matushka Olga, Gregory, John
Shut-in: Frances
Health & Misc: Archbishop Nathaniel, Priest Andrew, Frances, Maci - Matrona, Kelli, Olga, Kellie
Pregnant: Abigail, Gabrielle
Catechumens: Catherine, Kathleen, Devan, Jasmine, Joshua, Savanna, Linda, Jarrod, Sarah, Henry, Olivia, Trevor, Amanda, Will, Andrew, Caroline, Racheal , Gianna, Chris, Emerson, Gabrielle